The City of Portland and Multnomah County fund year-round, winter, and severe weather emergency shelter. There are also privately-funded organizations that provide shelter services. There are 640 emergency shelter beds and 27 family spaces available year-round.
Winter shelter is available from November 1-March 31, unless otherwise indicated below. An additional 291 beds are available during the winter season, which includes winter shelter for men (146 beds), women (85 beds), and families (60 beds).
Severe weather emergency shelter is also available when the City declares a Severe Weather Notice, based on temperatures at 25 degrees Fahrenheit or below for several nights in a row, or other life-threatening weather conditions. When severe weather is declared, up to 250 additional beds may be made available for homeless persons.
Click either link below for additional shelter information:
Location: Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave. Oregon City, Oregon
This free event will cover topics such as tenant/landlord law, affordable housing options, and housing discrimination. All are welcome. Landlords, tenants, home owners assoc, and buyers are encouraged to attend. Everyone’s welcome to come! Sessions include:
Housing Discrimination: Your Housing Rights and Responsibilities
Landlord/Tenant Law: What you need to Know
Affordable Housing: Local Housing Resources, What’s Available
If you have any housing questions, questions about the housing fair, call Clackamas County’s free Housing Rights and Resources line: 503-650-5750
WHAT is the RENT WELL TENANT EDUCATION PROGRAM? Rent Well is a 15 hour tenant education class that helps you become a successful, stable renter. Renting is more complicated than many people understand. It is a business relationship, and you need to understand your rights and responsibilities to be a successful renter. Rent Well has been developed to provide you with information that will help you have a positive relationship with your landlord.
If you have been denied housing, Rent Well will help you explore any screening barriers you may have (evictions, credit problems, criminal history), take steps to address those barriers and prepare to be a successful, stable tenant in the future.
In a Rent Well Tenant Education Class, you will learn:
The landlord’s perspective and expectations
Tenant responsibilities and rights
How to use good communication skills with your landlord
How to be a good neighbor
How to maintain a clean, safe and healthy home
During a Rent Well Tenant Education Class, you will prepare to be a successful renter by:
Pre-screening yourself as a landlord would
Creating a personalized plan for stable housing
Creating a workable household budget that makes paying rent a priority
Reviewing rental agreements to understand common terms and expectations
Creating a housing portfolio that will show landlords your qualifications as renter
Rent Well Tenant Education Class graduation requirements include:
Full attendance
Completion of assignments
Development of a housing portfolio
Upon meeting graduation requirements, participants will receive a Rent Well Graduation Certificate that can be presented to landlords.
Landlord Guarantee Fund:
Starting on January 1, 2010, the Landlord Guarantee Fund offered by Multnomah County (via HAP), Clackamas County and Washington County will be available only to graduates of Rent Well. However, anyone who graduates from Ready to Rent in one of those counties prior to the implementation of Rent Well and who receives a certificate of completion, will have their guarantee honored for the full 18 months.
The Rent Well Landlord Guarantee Fund is designed to provide landlords with a financial “guarantee” equivalent to $2000 when renting to Rent Well graduates. Graduates of the Rent Well program receive a certificate showing that they have completed a training course on Housing Readiness Education.
The Guarantee must be applied for within the first two weeks of renting to a Graduate. Applying for the Guarantee is simple and consists of a one page application.
Guarantee Fund Eligible Reimbursable Costs:
1. Damages in excess of normal wear and tear to the unit and exceeds the security deposit; 2. One months non-payment of rent if tenant does not vacate apartment in good standing; 3. Court costs and attorney fees where necessary to terminate a tenancy and remove a participant for nonpayment of rent of for other serious and repeated violations of the lease or state law.
Questions regarding the implementation of Rent Well in Multnomah County should be directed to: Jaclyn Eaton, Rent Well Coordinator, Housing Authority of Portland Phone: 503-335-6819 Email: Jaclyne@hapdx.org
How to Apply
Application forms will be available on Monday, October 12 at the apartment communities or at www.hapdx.org. Completed applications may be submitted by mail to the addresses above. Applications must be postmarked between October 12 – 16. by fax to 503.802.8488. Only applications faxed between October 12 and 4:30 p.m. on October 16 will be accepted. in person from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. October 12 – 16 at the addresses listed above.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants and/or co-applicants must be elderly (62 or older) or disabled. Total household income must be less than 80% of the area median income to qualify. Please call one of the sites above or visit www.hapdx.org for current income guidelines.
For More Information
Call HAP’s public housing hotline at 503.288.5750, visit www.hapdx.org/options/phapply.html or contact the apartment staff at the phone numbers listed above.
* Applicants for 2-bedroom ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) apartment waiting lists will need to provide
documentation verifying they require an ADA unit prior to moving in.
Impact NW’s mission is to help people achieve and maintain self-sufficiency and to prevent and alleviate the effects of poverty. In the 2007-2008 fiscal year, Impact Northwest served over 70,000 individuals.
Their clients include low-income children, adolescents, adults with disabilities, seniors, and families. Working with schools, businesses, faith communities, community-based organizations, and governmental agencies, Impact Northwest creates a safety net and springboard for Portland residents seeking to improve their quality of life.
Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT) – Hotline for renters’ rights information. Educates and empowers renters to demand safe, stable, and affordable rental housing. Also organizes Building Repair Forums
Friendly House – Call once a week for availability of housing assistance. Serves homeless families with children
Habitat for Humanity – Income guidelines. Applicants must be willing to work 500 hours.
Hacienda CDC (Community Development – Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00. Affordable housing with rents based on income for 50% and 60%. 1,2,3, & 4 bedroom apts. available. $35 application fee and $300 refundable security deposit. Also provides a variety of community programs and classes and an onsite county health clinic
Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) Section 8 Housing –Administers the Rent Assistance Program (RASP). Must go in and apply. There is a waiting list for next subsidized apartment. Office opens for applications only at 7:30am
Housing Connections – Provides lists of low cost and special needs housing on website. Covers Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties. Use online calculator to determine affordable rent based on income
Human Solutions – Transitional housing for families. Please call for appointment and information
Patton Home – SRO for individuals who make less than $28,500 per year. Furnished rooms available with communal dining area. Meal service available, accepts Oregon Trail Card. $30 application fee. $395 per month, utilities included
Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, Inc. – Affordable housing provider–call for availability and eligibility. Also offers services such as a parent network, emergency childcare funding, and a gardening program
Portland Housing Center – For low-income people who need assistance with negotiating payments of low mortgages. Ready to Rent classes. First time homebuyers educational program
Portland Impact – May have a waiting list for rental assistance. Eligibility based on income
Oregon Helps is an online clearinghouse that takes you through a series of questions online to determine what services you or your loved one might be eligible for. The site’s services are available in multiple languages. Check it out here.
Services covered include:
Food and Nutrition
Food Stamps
Emergency Food
Housing and Utilities
Federal Housing Assistance
Low-Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP)
Portland Water Bureau’s Financial Assistance Program
Children and Family Resources
National School Lunch Program
Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program(WIC)
Care to Share is a Washington County based assistance program that helps individuals with emergency food, energy assistance, rent support and more. Check out their website or see below for more details.
Financial Aid
Clients facing financial crisis may apply to a special fund Care To Share maintains. Utility – When funds are available clients may request help on a limited basis if they are facing a shut-off. Rent – One day a month (the 3rd Thursday of each month) qualified clients may call to request assistance with rent for the following month. We do not provide: cash, bus tickets, transportation or costs, motel room rent, or medical costs.
Back to School
Each August, Care To Share provides backpacks filled with new school supplies for at-risk children attending Beaverton School District schools. These supplies are distributed though the school administration.
Oregon Heat
Care To Share has been given a contract with Oregon Heat to provide assistance for PGE clients to receive assistance with gas, electricity, wood, pellets and oil. Clients must call to set an appointment and to verify eligibility.
Water Grants
Care To Share provides water assistance to low income families facing shut-offs. These funds come to us from three different sources. We are thankful to Tualatin Valley Water District, Clean Water Services, and City of Beaverton Water. Without these contributions we could not provide this much needed assistance.
The Rose City Resource is a publication of Street Roots and is the most comprehensive, updated list of services for people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. There’s tons of information on food boxes, clothing, counseling services, legal services and more.